Wicking pad using hot coil for refrigerator

Abstract

A water-removing system comprises a water reservoir pan, a wicking pad array, and a hot pipe. The water reservoir pan is configured for collecting water from an evaporator of the refrigerator. The wicking pad array comprises wicking pads, and each of wicking pads is disposed in a direction of air flow from the fan motor to the wicking pads, so that lower portions of the wicking pads are immersed in the water reservoir pan. The hot pipe is disposed so as to contact with the wicking pads of the wicking pad array above a surface of water collected from the evaporator. The water from the evaporator is absorbed by the wicking pads and evaporated further by heat from the hot pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water-removing system for a refrigerator having an compressor and fan motor, the water-removing device comprising:
 a water reservoir pan configured for collecting water from an evaporator;   a wicking pad array comprising a plurality of wicking pads, each of which being disposed in a direction of air flow from the fan motor to the plurality of wicking pads, so that lower portions of the plurality of wicking pads are immersed in the water reservoir pan; and   a hot pipe disposed so as to contact with the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array above a surface of water collected from the evaporator,   wherein the water from the evaporator is absorbed by the plurality of wicking pads and evaporated further by heat from the hot pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The water-removing system of  claim 1 , wherein the hot pipe is disposed through holes provided at top portions of the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array above a surface of water collected from the evaporator. 
     
     
         3 . The water-removing system of  claim 2 , wherein the hot pipe is disposed above the water reservoir pan. 
     
     
         4 . The water-removing system of  claim 3 , wherein the hot pipe is bent a plurality of times so as to form a pipe-meandering plane that is substantially parallel to the top the water reservoir pan. 
     
     
         5 . The water-removing system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of wicking pads protrudes vertically above the pipe-meandering plane. 
     
     
         6 . The water-removing system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the holes provided through the plurality of wicking pads is provided by burring, maximizing a rate of thermal transferring between each of plurality of wicking pads and the hot pipe. 
     
     
         7 . The water-removing system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of wicking pads are provided with a density of about five (5) sheets per inch. 
     
     
         8 . The water-removing system of  claim 1 , wherein the hot pipe is bent a plurality of times so as to form a pipe-meandering plane that is substantially parallel to the top the water reservoir pan, and wherein each of the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array is draped over corresponding one of a plurality of parallel portions of the hot pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The water-removing system of  claim 8 , wherein each of the wicking pads is formed so as to have a cross-section of a U-shape. 
     
     
         10 . The water-removing system of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of fasteners between each of the plurality of wicking pads and the corresponding parallel portions of the hot pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The water-removing system of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of fasteners is provided on a top portion of the corresponding parallel portions of the hot pipe. 
     
     
         12 . The water-removing system of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of fasteners comprises glue.